Havant couple celebrate the happiest day of their lives

But when her own big day arrived, she says she had never felt so happy.

Sarah met her husband David Waring when she was 16 at her sister’s party. Two years later, they had their first son Kai but Sarah says getting engaged didn’t cross her mind.

‘I was never one who dreamed of a big wedding and never particularly wanted to get married. I wasn’t traditional at all,’ explains Sarah, 32.

‘I fell pregnant at 18 and had our first boy Kai. David wanted to do the right thing but I wasn’t really fussed.

‘At 21, I had Hayden and I think David wanted to propose again but I just didn’t want to do it just because we thought we had to.

‘When I had our third boy Henley at 26 I thought I have got my lovely three boys and I don’t want anymore children.

‘I was quite overwhelmed but then thought it would be nice to get married.

She laughs and says: ‘David was a bit of a joker and wouldn’t entertain it.’

The couple, who live at Leigh Park, decided to go on a city break to Venice in February 2018 and it was the first time they had been away alone for 14 years.

‘We were in St Mark’s Square and it was freezing cold.

‘He kept on trying to get my attention and I just kept saying “yeah, in a minute” because I was trying to get a picture.

‘I turned around and he had a video on his phone. The boys were holding cards that said “will you marry daddy?” on them.

‘Dave was down on one knee which was hard for him. He lost his right arm and leg in a train accident at Bedhampton station when he was 18 .

‘I said yes. I couldn’t believe it.’

Sarah says when she rang home she was shocked to find out that her parents knew about the planned proposal.

‘David had asked for my dad’s permission too,’ she adds.

‘It was amazing but I never thought it would happen like that.

‘I thought we were past big, romantic proposals and him asking my dad – but it was perfect.’

The couple had originally planned to get married in 2020, but Sarah says she couldn’t wait.

‘You don’t need loads of money to have a nice wedding,’ she explains.

‘We decided to have a hot buffet instead of a sit down meal. We also got the suits and dresses for the groomsmen and bridesmaids from Next.’

David, 34, and Sarah tied the knot at Winchester Register Office on September 21 and held their reception at the Westgate pub.

Sarah says: ‘Normally I’m really confident and can’t stop talking, but on the morning of the wedding I was so quiet.

‘I was really overwhelmed and quite emotional. I didn’t think I would feel like that.

‘I was just about to walk in and I said to my dad “I don’t think I can do this”.

‘But as soon as I saw everyone, it was lovely. I couldn’t believe they were all there for us.

‘I felt like a princess.

‘I couldn’t see anyone in the room but David.

‘I walked down and just grabbed his hand.’

But for Sarah, seeing her sons before the wedding was one of her highlights.

‘My favourite part about the wedding was seeing David. But also seeing my boys beforehand in their suits and seeing their reaction,’ she says.

‘He’s so loving – he makes me feel like a princess. I definitely felt like a princess on the day but David always makes me feel like that.’

David decided to take Sarah’s last name when they got married, which she says made her family ‘so happy’.

‘Because I had the boys so young, they always had my name.

‘But David sees my family as his family – he looks at my parents as his own,’ explains Sarah.

‘I asked if he wanted a double-barrelled name but he wanted to take mine.

‘I remember my grandad saying he felt so honoured that David wanted to do that. He said he was so glad to see that and saw David as his own grandson.’

The couple enjoyed their ‘amazing’ honeymoon in Marrakech, Morocco, to end their wedding celebrations.